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Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood will be in Detroit Friday for a major announcement about funding for the private-sector plan for a 3-mile streetcar line on Woodward Avenue. / Lawrence Jackson/Associated Press

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The office of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood confirmed today that he’ll be in Detroit on Friday for a major announcement about funding for the private-sector plan for a 3-mile streetcar line on Woodward Avenue.

It’s widely expected that LaHood will come bearing gifts in the form of a $25-million federal subsidy for the rail line initially proposed by major downtown business leaders that morphed into a larger plan stretching from downtown to 8 Mile. It collapsed amid questions about funding and re-emerged closer to its initial version, from downtown to the New Center area.

A statement today said LaHood “will make a major funding announcement that will significantly expand transit options in downtown Detroit and the surrounding region.”

LaHood has declined to confirm the amount of funding for the project, but people familiar with his decision previously told the Free Press that he’ll award the M1 Rail project $25 million.

It’s a major coup for the project, backed by corporate leaders including Dan Gilbert, Roger Penske, Peter Karmanos and the Ilitch family, who view it as a way to boost efforts to revive downtown Detroit. The rail line is envisioned as a catalyst to lure companies and provide transit for residents and visitors to Detroit business, arts and cultural centers.

LaHood has praised the plan's backers for raising as much as $100 million in mostly private-sector funding for the plan. Supporters range from the Kresge Foundation, the Detroit Three automakers, Wayne State University, the Detroit Medical Center and other civic and philanthropic groups.

LaHood's office said Gov. Rick Snyder will attend the announcement, along with Detroit Mayor Dave Bing; U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow; U.S. Reps. John Dingell and Gary Peters, and Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff. The event is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday at WSU's Welcome Center at 42 W. Warren.